Arizona House passes budget after change of heart from Republican holdout; Hobbs won't sign it

A Chandler lawmaker who scuttled her Republican peers' plans to pass a budget last week and pledged to vote "no" again without major spending cuts instead helped approve the GOP plan on Monday on a party-line vote.

The theatrical flourish, which some may see as a broken promise, may not mean much, though: Gov. Katie Hobbs said soon after the vote that she would not sign the Republican plan.

Rep. Liz Harris, a first-time politician and prolific election conspiracy promoter, left the state House immediately after adjournment, ignoring a reporter's request for comment about her vote flip.

The Chandler Republican texted later that her change of mind was because of a "really good cup of espresso" before the vote, but later explained she meant "no comment."

The $18 billion budget — which includes an $1.8 billion "cushion" in unspent surplus funds — would continue the spending plan for this year with adjustments for inflation and population growth, plus $200 million extra for school capital and maintenance projects.

It is expected to quickly reach Hobbs' desk, where the Democrat is all but certain to use her veto stamp on a plan on which she had no input.

On social media Monday, Hobbs wrote, "The issues Arizonans are facing require more than business as usual. I will not sign a budget that is just more of the same and does nothing to demonstrate a desire to move our state forward."

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The governor released her own budget soon after taking office in January that some in the Republican-dominated Legislature called "dead on arrival."

Republicans, including Speaker Pro-Tempore Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, said passing this sort of baseline spending plan, then negotiating how to use the surplus funds, is the optimal budget process. He acknowledged he voted against the "exact same baseline last year," but said this year it was the "right thing to do."

Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu City, framed the GOP budget as leverage against possible stalled negotiations with Hobbs that could lead to a government shutdown if next year's budget isn't approved by June.

"This is the best option just in case we have a stalemate with us and the governor," he said. "At least we have something to say, look, let's keep Arizona open. Our residents shouldn't be taking the brunt of us trying to figure out a negotiation."

Harris had wanted huge spending cuts

The Arizona Senate had approved the Republican budget plan earlier this month, but Harris' single "no" vote on Feb. 6 was enough to sink it in the House. Republicans only have a one-vote majority in both chambers.

House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, met with Harris for about a half-hour the day after that vote, but another vote wasn't taken, leaving the budget in limbo.

In a Feb. 9 social media post following her unilateral move, Harris complained about overspending in the Republican budget and said she wanted it cut down to about $12 billion.

"I will reject this budget until we right-size and restore it to a level that is commensurate with our economic growth," she wrote.

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The bill she voted for Monday had no such cut.

Harris also said after winning office in November that she would withhold her vote on any bill until the state held a new election. She promptly filed a number of bills, however, indicating that was at least prepared to vote on her own ideas, and she voted for some bills in committee hearings.

Democrats criticize GOP 'petty games'

Toma didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about what might have changed Harris' mind.

The new budget funds the state's obligations and leaves the surplus cushion "to prevent any revenue loss due to President Biden’s economic recession."

Toma criticized Hobbs' budget in a subsequent press release, calling it "full of irresponsible spending and partisan, left-wing demands." He noted that the continuation budget was approved by both Democrats and Republicans last year and was "cheered at the time" by Hobbs and Democratic Minority Leader Andrés Cano, D-Tucson.

But Democratic lawmakers dismissed the action as political gamesmanship from their Republican colleagues, who for the first time in 14 years don’t have a ideological ally in the Governor’s Office.

“They continue to play petty games because they disagree with the new occupant of the Governor's Office," Cano said. “And so at this point, it's on them to demonstrate a true ability to get together and have tough conversations like adults — much less legislators — should be having, and I think they know that hyperbole really is just as dramatic as their budget.”

On Harris' intraparty drama in holding up the budget last week, Cano said: “I'm surprised that Rep. Harris was not as courageous as she has been the last week today because clearly she decided to play along with the partisanship that's really just pervasive at this place."

Arizona Republic reporter Stacey Barchenger contributed to this article.

Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on Twitter @raystern.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Legislature: Republicans pass budget; Hobbs 'will not sign' it